


don't bring tomorrow

by TheGlovedArtist



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: (as slow as i can write it at least), (because I literally don't know how to tag shit), (because even though they're living in a war they can still be happy), (if you think i missed any plz don't hesitate to call me out so i can add them), Angst, Avatar: The Last Airbender AU, Colonization, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of war torn families, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Teenage Shenanigans, as a treat, but you can have romance, mainly focused on character development, minor fluff, spy AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGlovedArtist/pseuds/TheGlovedArtist
Summary: In front of the crowd laid a field. Crops and produce filled the sparse land and he could see the farmers milling about. Young children ran in between them, playing and laughing. Even from this distance, he could imagine their soft puffs of air, their own giggles etching themselves into the plants. He could imagine the satisfaction of the farmers watching over their children with the knowledge that their future belonged to those that lived on that land long before them and the understanding that their life was birthed from the theft of another family’s happiness and freedom. He could imagine his own father teaching him gardening instead of combat. He could imagine his family exchanging laughter instead of blows, each hit thrown with the force of vengeance and pain. He couldn’t imagine his family carefree; he didn’t have enough memories to do so.Kiyoomi blinked. The farmers continued their work. The children continued to play. Closing his eyes, he clenched his fist and released it.He continued his mission.In the midst of war, espionage, and his own reality, Kiyoomi learns what the true meaning of sacrifice is.
Relationships: Komori Motoya/Miya Osamu, Komori Motoya/Miya Osamu/Suna Rintarou, Komori Motoya/Suna Rintarou, Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi, Miya Osamu/Suna Rintarou
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14
Collections: Gensou no Karasu





	don't bring tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Title from [this song.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqxJ5oC7s1E)
> 
> Hello hello!! This is my piece for the A:TLA x Haikyuu bang!! I hope yall enjoy it or something. Idk. Does anyone even know how to write authors' notes? Not me lmao. Ok anyways have fun reading :D

Kiyoomi wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

He looked around his sparse room. Anything that could have indicated his life, his presence, was either packed away or sold. Old plants that held no financial worth and a lifetime of memories were tucked away in different nooks and crannies of the house; _small mercies_ , Kiyoomi thought to himself as he sat in an unfamiliar chair at a new desk for the first and last time. _At least they’ll live without me_.

Crates littered his former room, all his books, writings, and unnecessary clothes neatly tucked away in a corner, taking up as little space as possible. He fought the urge to go through the items. The passage of time was his enemy and he could hear his cousin, Motoya, call for him from the front of the house. With that, he knew he had to say his farewells quickly.

“Thank you,” he said aloud to no one in particular. The room remained stagnant and empty. “I won’t forget my time here.”

Satisfied with his words, Kiyoomi exited the room and refused to look behind him. He walked past all the portraits of himself – soon to be burned –, his family, and the ancestors that continued to watch over him. He walked past the old dresser that had a broken drawer, the floorboard with an incurable creak, the walls that witnessed his anger, happiness, remorse. In a muted march of silence, he walked out of his life of normalcy and towards the unknown.

“Took you long enough,” Motoya said when he saw Kiyoomi exit the house. “Did you say your goodbyes?”  
  
“Of course.” He linked arms with Motoya and made their way towards the one ostrich-horse he never bothered to learn the name of. “If I hadn’t finished, I would still be inside.”  
  
Motoya hopped onto the animal and checked to make sure they had all their bags. He muttered a list underneath his breath: clothes, food, fake documents, paper and ink, knives-

Once finished, he extended a hand to Kiyoomi. “Yeah, well, thanks for being quick.”  
  
With general ease, Kiyoomi jumped onto the saddle and held his cousin tight. Although gifted in many arts – earthbending, combat, the tsungi horn – taming and connecting with animals (and humans, for that matter) weren’t included in the package.

He looked back towards the house. In all his sixteen years of life, he had only known his home as warm and inviting. It was the only place that escaped the scorching touch of the Fire Nation; though they invaded their land and their life, they couldn’t take away his home. Now, abandoned as one of the countless sacrifices his father made for his people, all he saw was a dark and lifeless place. In his heart, he knew no number of houseplants could revive it. Not after this. 

(The notion of using houseplants as a healing factor was silly, but he couldn’t help the comparison. It was the only option that didn’t make his chest ache for longer than a moment.)

Kiyoomi, turning to face the front once more, took a deep breath and let go of his attachment. He reminded himself what can be easily attained can be easily lost, and vice versa. He could find a home again, with time and practice. “Let’s go.”

With no further mourning, Motoya set off into the distance. The wind whipped at their faces as they began their journey.

The travel was tiring yet uneventful. In the early hours of the day before the sun kissed the horizon good morning, the lingering chill from the previous night nipped at their skin. The two left the farms, villages, and people they once knew who was still asleep at this time, the Sunday morning granting them an extra hour or two of sleep. 

Sundays were recharging days. The townsfolk would sleep in and wake late, eating a simple breakfast before doing simple chores. Cleaning the house. Buying groceries. Preparing for the upcoming week of labour, ensuring produce and commodities were in order. Children played around them before tiring themselves out, just in time for supper. Sundays used to act as a deep breath before doing hard work; now, after the Fire Nation colonized their lands and livelihood, it was just another day. A short, stuttered gasp before processing their own products, packaging them to be sent to the motherland. In a last-ditch effort to appear kind, the soldiers that walked through their streets keeping order allowed the town to keep their deserved extra hour of rest. Naturally, they included themselves, leaving a small window of pure, isolated freedom.

Kiyoomi pulled the shawl over his shoulders tighter to retain heat. “Do you remember what father said?”

He watched the back of Motoya’s head nod in confirmation. “All he said was to follow the path until we find Morisuke-san.”

Humming in acknowledgment, he rested his head on Motoya’s shoulder and sighed. “Is this alright?”

He felt Motoya laugh before he heard it, his body shaking slightly. He tried to dampen the mild irritation flaring inside of him. “Yeah, go ahead. I’d assume you’re more tired than I am.”  
  
Trying to not think about the cause of his exhaustion, Kiyoomi closed his eyes and allowed himself to rest.

* * *

His dreamscape was embarrassingly plain. Floating on nothing, Kiyoomi found himself walking towards emptiness. No direction, no destination. It felt fitting, somehow.

“Alright boys,” a voice said behind him. His blood ran cold. “This is the last time I’m going over the plan.”

Kiyoomi turned around to find himself, Motoya, and his father gathered in the war room in his former home. It resided in the basement, almost directly underneath his room. It was small and circular, a table centred in the middle, the map of the world drawn on top. Toy figurines of soldiers, bases, won and lost territory, was all filed neatly atop the surface. The prominent red stains of spilt drinks and fallen soldiers dying to defend their land littered the worn table. There were chairs scattered around the room, both tucked underneath the table and strewn about. A single chalkboard stretched across the entire wall, all covered in strategies and encrypted messages. One lamp hung from the ceiling, dimly illuminating the space, darkness creeping in from the edges. He knew this scene well; it was yesterday, after all.

His father, even in his dreams, held a commanding and powerful presence, one fit for leading a rebellion. Standing amongst the tactics tacked onto the wall and displayed over the table, his father looked right at home. The bags underneath his eyes were more prominent here. Kiyoomi never realized how exhausted his father looked until this very moment.

“You two will be going undercover as Fire Nation civilians. Under no circumstances can you allude to the fact that you are able to bend; you will pose and non-benders, and nothing more.” He paused, letting his words sink in the air. “Am I clear?”  
  
Two replies filled the air. “Yes sir.”

“Very good,” he continued, pacing around the table. “We have confirmation that the general’s sons moved in with him recently.” He brought two pieces of paper from the chalkboard and slid it across the table. On the papers were the portraits of two boys around their age. They shared the same face and hairstyle. They differed in expressions, as one looked lofty and smug, while the other looked bored and uninterested in life. “You two will befriend them to gain access to the general’s war office. There, you will steal any information you can to aid the rebellion. Are there any questions?” 

Kiyoomi watched his reflection’s eyes cloud over in thought. He remembered the million thoughts that flit in and out of his head, too quick to grasp and too much to understand. Even now, standing away from them, he felt the searing burn of his mind trying to ask something, anything.

Motoya raised his hand. “Will we be going to school?”

Sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, his father replied, “yes, you both will be attending school. Stay out of trouble so you don’t bother Saeko and Alisa. They’ve made arrangements for you two to be in the same class as the twins, so do not mess up. The documents you will carry will be authentic enough to pass, but you will be outed as outsiders if they investigate it any further than necessary.”

Nodding in thought, Motoya raised his hand once more. “What do we do if we get caught?”

His father narrowed his eyes. “ _Not_ being found out would be the simplest solution, but if you are captured, then you’ll be in jail for a couple of days as they decide your punishment since you’re both minors. In that time, we can retrieve you, but that will yield disastrous results; soldiers will flood what remains of our town and our one chance of freedom will be lost.” He flicked over a single tower, placed directly on their village. “I will repeat myself only once: _do not get caught._ ”

Kiyoomi’s reflection raised his hand. From this distance, he can see his own uncertainty sift in his eyes. “When will we be able to come home?”

At this, his father grimaced for a moment, before his usual stoic expression took hold. “I cannot say.”

Watching from beyond, Kiyoomi felt his heart ache; hearing the words twice did little to soften the blow. To distract and ground himself, he focused on the board’s inscriptions and documents that covered the walls. Mostly filled with political jargon he couldn’t understand if he tried and scribbles his memory couldn’t fill in, he looked for other information to focus on. The most prominent words laid at the center of the chalkboard with three instructions and a warning to boot.

  * _Infiltrate the Miya household_
  * _Obtain any potentially useful information_
  * _Relay intel to the rebellion ASAP_



_Do not betray your people._

Even now, after ruminating over it since yesterday, Kiyoomi still couldn’t understand why the warning was attached to the rest of the message. He would do anything to get his home back and reunite his people with the life they deserved. Though he hasn’t lived a life untainted by the Fire Nation’s marks, he remembered the story his father would tell him of the days where the village was able to fend off the Fire Nation’s attacks, hope and determination were the main fuel of their strategy. He remembered how his father’s expression darkened as he explained that their village slowly succumbed to the heavy ministrations of the Fire Nation, as their defence couldn’t keep up with the quickly advancing technology they used to wipe out battalions in one go. Their loss of freedom was recent; only Ba Sing Sei, Omashu, and a handful of other villages have yet to be conquered. 

The thought of throwing all of that and more away for someone in the Fire Nation baffled him to no end.

“Saeko and Alisa have already prepared for your arrival tomorrow morning,” his father said, stirring him out of his thoughts. He passed them two official pieces of paper, both stamped with the Fire Nation insignia. “Here are the carriage tickets. The general tightened security, so this is the only way to legally enter the town. When you approach the entrance, soldiers will be inspecting everyone’s documents to ensure nothing malicious passes through them. Make sure you look natural and do not panic. You two will be fine.” 

His father looked at him. Not his reflection, but dreamscape self. “Isn’t it time you wake up?” 

Fear sparked in his chest. Somehow, he felt the acute sensation of being shaken awake. The dream began to collapse, his name echoing in the chamber.

_Kiyoomi…Kiyoomi…Kiyoomi…_

* * *

“Kiyoomi! Stop being useless, fuck-nut!”

Well. That was one way to wake up.

Slowly blinking away the sleep from his eyes, Kiyoomi begrudgingly opened his eyes to find Morisuke, his former neighbour and school friend, standing at the mouth of their ostrich-horse. He looked tired; lines that weren’t previously there were etched along his face and his eyes were puffy as if he hadn’t slept in a while. Despite his appearance, he was awake enough to twist his expression into one of annoyance.

“Good morning sleeping beauty,” he mocked, bowing for effect. “So glad you could join us for a cup of tea.” 

Motoya laughed at him at that. He was quickly silenced by the glare Kiyoomi shot him with.

“Why did we have to see you again?” Kiyoomi sneered with no venom. He knew this bit well; Morisuke would be snarky, he would be petty, and Motoya would add fuel to the flames until the interaction exploded in their faces. It was unconventional. It was familiar. It was fun.

“I gotta make sure both of your asses aren't dead before you reach the border. Knowing you two, I’m surprised you even got this far.” Morisuke’s eyes crinkled with something akin to fondness and regret. Rummaging through his bag, he produced a small cloth bag emanating a faint yet sweet scent. “Take these for the road. It’s good to carry snacks.”

Dismounting the ostrich-horse, Motoya took the bag. Then he wrapped Morisuke in a tight hug. Kiyoomi couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he didn’t try to listen in. Instead, he slid off the animal and took in his surroundings. The fields of rice and corn he was used to seeing were replaced with dense thickets of forestry. Non-nocturnal habitants of the ecosystem began waking up, the chirps of birds replacing crickets. The path before them was slowly turning from a mud path to a solid, stone-like path. Here, in the lands he’s never had the chance to explore on his own volition before, he was not truly alone. That fact didn’t stop him from feeling small and inexperienced, but it did bring a sense of stability, knowing he had someone to fall back onto. Even if that someone is a complete shithead.

A voice brought him out of his thoughts. “Here’s a map to the rendezvous location and the city. You’ll need these just in case you get lost.” 

He accepted the tools with a small smile. “Always so prepared, huh? Some things never change.” The punch he received was light but stung. He didn’t regret it.

Morisuke began to unfasten the buckles holding their luggage and allowed them to fall onto the floor before seating himself on the saddle. “I’ll be taking her if you don’t mind.”

This didn’t come as a surprise; they had to get rid of the animal somehow. With Morisuke taking her off their hands, they knew they’d be able to decrease the amount of suspicion around them. 

“We’ll meet again soon, alright? We’ll visit for a cup of tea,” Motoya said, absentmindedly petting the animal. “Be sure to have my favourite cookies.”

“Yeah yeah, we’ll have your favourite snacks too. Don’t you dare be late.”

With that, he set off into the distance without another word, the silently implied goodbye hanging in the air.

“Welp,” Motoya started, his voice annoyingly cheerful. “There goes our ride.”

“Oh, shut up.” Kiyoomi rolled his eyes and picked up his belongings.

Motoya pointed in the opposite direction of Morisuke. “The map says this way, I think.” It wasn’t a confident way to go about their quest, but Kiyoomi knew fuck-all about geography and directions, so he listened to his cousin. If they ended up falling in a volcano, he’d at least be ready to throw a rock in his face before succumbing to his pathetic death.

The two set off, the uncertainty of their path looming above them. Morisuke’s map, although detailed and filled with information, was small and complicated. It illustrated the geography of the land, labelled different potential water sources in the nearest hundred kilometres, and probably had his star chart scrawled somewhere in it. As they walked through the middle of the forest, the day yawned and bid them a swell morning with a glowing, rosy sky and not a cloud to ruin the image. The once daunting trees rose from their slumber to gently sway in the wind with warmth and life. 

They remained silent throughout their trek, too tired to speak. Time passed quickly and before they knew it, they reached the end of the forest. Towards the border stood a few people, all seemingly waiting for the same thing: the carriage to town.

The passengers were well-kempt and silent. No one spoke except to those a part of their clique. Some people were writing, some were drawing, and others chose to wait in silence. Kiyoomi planned to be a part of the latter along with Motoya, but his cousins had other ideas.

Motoya shuffled forward to one of the younger-looking passengers. His hair was styled in a way that seemed to defy gravity, sticking up everywhere while appearing neat. His eyes were bored yet alight with a sort of tamed fiery passion as he sketched while he waited. The model looked familiar, somehow.

“This sure sucks!” Motoya exclaimed, taking a seat on the ground next to the stranger. The artist gave his cousin a weird look before shifting away.

Undeterred, Motoya grinned and continued to speak. “Being stranded in the middle of nowhere really puts a damper on the mood.” He reached inside his pocket and pulled out Morisuke’s cloth pouch. He opened it, reached inside, and took something out of it. “Peanut?” he offered, extending a hand towards him. The stranger stared at him.

“Do we know each other?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. 

“Nope, but I’d like to change that though.”

Rolling his eyes once more, Kiyoomi tuned out their conversation. Ennui settled atop of him and he could feel himself ache to do something. Anything. He knew his job would put him in uncomfortable and possibly compromising situations; he didn’t expect boredom was included in the package.

Deciding to fill the time with slightly more productive things than conversating and what-not, he focused on more important things: his next meal, a much-needed bath, and the carriage that had yet to arrive. The mission plagued his mind. He determinedly thought about other things.

In front of the crowd laid a field. Crops and produce filled the sparse land and he could see the farmers milling about. Young children ran in between them, playing and laughing. Even from this distance, he could imagine their soft puffs of air, their own giggles etching themselves into the plants. He could imagine the satisfaction of the farmers watching over their children with the knowledge that their future belonged to those that lived on that land long before them and the understanding that their life was birthed from the theft of another family’s happiness and freedom. He could imagine his own father teaching him gardening instead of combat. He could imagine his family exchanging laughter instead of blows, each hit thrown with the force of vengeance and pain. He couldn’t imagine his family carefree; he didn’t have enough memories to do so.

Kiyoomi blinked. The farmers continued their work. The children continued to play. Closing his eyes, he clenched his fist and released it.

He continued his mission.

Soon afterwards, the crowd began moving restlessly. With the way Motoya’s ears perked, he knew he wasn’t the only one who sensed the change within the Earth. Miniscule vibrations and the sound of animals trotting along the man-made path told him that the carriage had finally arrived. _Ten minutes late_.

The vehicle stopped in front of them, the crowd slowly shifting to try and obtain a seat. A smartly dressed man stepped off from the passenger’s seat and deftly checked a piece of paper before addressing everyone. From his obnoxious hat to outlandishly bright red attire, Kiyoomi assumed the man was the Ticketmaster. 

“Have yer papers at hand folks! No ticket, no boarding!”

A paper was thrust into Kiyoomi’s hand before he had the time to turn to his cousin. Everyone who was already prepared began lining in front of the Ticketmaster. He joined the line and looked around to see if he could see his cousin in line. Somehow, Motoya and his new pal managed to snag a spot near the top of the line, the cheeky bastard.

It was then when Kiyoomi spared a proper glance at his cousin and the stranger. Unsurprisingly, the artist was smiling slightly, his eyes trained on Motoya. With his charm, wit, and ability to connect with virtually anyone – “it’s ‘cause I’m friends with _you_ , Kiyo-chan” – it made sense that even the most reserved person could hold a pleasant conversation with him. 

Once he got his ticket assessed and handed back to him, the paper stamped with the Fire Nation insignia, he made his way to the luggage compartment behind the carriage. Motoya shuffled behind him with his own bags at hand.

“Rin’s sitting with us,” he stated in a matter-of-fact tone as he loaded his belongings into the cart. “You don’t have a say in the matter.”

“Why’re you so adamant about befriending him?” Kiyoomi asked, His brow lined with sweat as he struggled to properly place his luggage correctly in the space provided for him, the shape of the bag stubbornly refusing to sit properly. “It’s not like you to make friends on a whim. What’s so special about him?”  
  
Motoya looked around before leaning over and whispering, “I’ll tell you later,” in his ear. He said nothing more and pulled back. “Besides, he’s _super_ hot.”

He stared at him, dumbfounded at his cousins’ shameless desires. Motoya, winking and flashing a peace sign, headed inside to snag a good seat. Not one to easily lose, he followed suit.

The interior design was compact and efficient. Benches lined the perimeter of the room with rows filling the space in the middle, providing adequate space for the passengers. Sunlight filtered through the three large windows that were provided for their comfort. Overall, it wasn’t first-class, but it was better than nothing. Motoya managed to find a seat near the back window, the stranger – _Rin_ , he reminded himself – right at his side. A bag was placed on the empty seat next to him. Kiyoomi hurriedly made his way to them and occupied the seat.

Once everyone was seated and the doors were closed, the carriage was pulled into motion. The sound of hooves clopping and stepping on branches filled the air, providing for an ample medium to hold mildly private conversations.

“Thanks,” he said, absentmindedly rubbing his hands with a handkerchief that perpetually resided in his pocket. His cousin nodded in acknowledgement, too engrossed with his conversation to say anything else.

This time, instead of ignoring the two, he decided to listen in on their conversation. With almost nothing to do or think about, it was the only source of entertainment he could find at that particular moment.

“Again, no offence, but you are _so_ full of shit,” Motoya remarked, crossing his arms. “Fortune-telling and horoscopes are nothing but lies designed to fool the public into thinking they can control their future by simply knowing it. Let me guess; you also believe in your zodiac.”

Rin gave him an affronted look. “Who _doesn’t_ believe in their zodiac?”

“I don’t,” Kiyoomi interjected, looking at his nails. They needed to be filed and cleaned, but for the time being, they acted as a sufficient backup weapon. “Astrology is a waste of time.”

“Says the guy who still carries around the pocket hanky Wakato-”

Kiyoomi threw him a glare. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop talking effective immediately.”

Shifting his gaze from Motoya to him, Rin narrowed his eyes. “Who are you again?”

“Kiyoomi. Astronomy enthusiast and, unfortunately, this shithead’s cousin.” He nudged Motoya’s shoulder. “You only know this guy for a couple of seconds and you already forget about me?”

“He's not just 'some guy,' he's The Rintarou from the High Court of Losers," Motoya replied. He laughed when Rin smacked his shoulder. "C’mon Kiyoomi, you know me. Bros before bores.” He high-fived his new best friend at that and Kiyoomi rolled his eyes in disdain. Somehow, he felt fondness bloom in his chest. “Besides, Rin’s way cooler than you. Here, look at this- “

Before given the chance to say, “fuck off,” Motoya dramatically gestures to Rin. At the cue, he…does nothing. No change in expression, aura, or energy. He didn’t even move a muscle. 

“His ‘I hate it here’ look is better than yours!”

Regret. The only thing he felt in that second was regret.

“You two are insufferable,” he said, crossing his arms. Rin laughed, leaning back in his seat.

“Wait ‘til you meet Osamu. He’s one of the worst guys I’ve ever met; he’s my favourite person.”

Ignoring the spike in his heart rate, Kiyoomi raised what he thought to be a nonchalant eyebrow. “Oh? Who’s that?”

Rin stared at his knapsack that sat in his lap, his gaze far away. “My boyfriend,” he said, still looking at his bag. Motoya choked on his spit, his eyes wide. 

“You have a boyfriend!?” he quietly exclaimed, careful to not draw the attention of the nearby passengers. “Damn, and here I was, hoping you were single and everything.”

A dark blush blossomed on Rin’s face, delicately coating his cheeks and neck. “Uh…”

Motoya smiled and held his hands up in mock surrender. “Don’t worry, I won’t flirt with you anymore. But I’ve just _got_ to meet the guy; he must be pretty amazing if he managed to snag such a catch like yourself.”

The flush deepened. Rin continued to short circuit. “Uhh…uh…”

It was at this point Kiyoomi noticed that the bumpiness of the road eased up, allowing for smoother travel. The craft didn’t hold a candle to the earthbending’s perfect technique, but it was an admirable placeholder. Still, it was better than the quick paths that lead to passengers developing a migraine.

Kiyoomi glanced outside to see the sky tainted with smog. General unease filled his stomach.

“I think we’re here,” he noted casually. He revelled in Motoya’s panic. “Just thought I’d let you two know.”

“Fucking hell Kiyoomi, next time give me a better warning,” Motoya grumbled before going through his bad in search of their forged documents. He handed Kiyoomi his respective documents before resuming his conversation with Rin. 

This time, he didn’t bother to listen in. Instead, he analyzed the papers before him. They looked official, with signatures and stamps of approval to boot, but that fact alone couldn’t stop his body from tensing in anxiety.

“Those look weird,” Rin suddenly said, eying Kiyoomi’s file. “Where did you guys say you were from again?”

Fear coursed through his veins. His mind addled with panic, he couldn’t think of anything except, _oh shit oh shit oh shit we’re dead we’re gonna get caught we’re-_

Motoya shrugged. “A couple of colonies over, I think,” he said in a normal tone with his normal voice. “I don’t really know, to be honest. I’m more of a gym-over-geography kind of guy.”

Nodding, Rin produced his own documentation from his bag. “Yeah, I get that. I just thought it looked different.”

To avoid suspicion, Kiyoomi dared to raise an eyebrow. “Oh? Your papers don’t look too normal either.”

Funnily enough, he wasn’t wrong. There were more badges and layers to Rin’s documents than he’d thought possible for a regular civilian. Unless…

“It’s nothing,” Rin brushed aside. Before he had the chance to inquire further, the carriage came to a halt. The door opened and, one by one, people exited with their papers at hand. A guard stood at the entrance of the door, ensuring everyone leaving wasn’t an illegal passenger. Slowly, Kiyoomi made his way in the line, careful not to touch anyone. Motoya stood behind him, still chatting with Rin. He didn’t have to listen in on their conversation to already be tired of it. Motoya was a little _too_ good at socializing for his taste.

A voice reminded him of where he was. “Visa, passport, and documentation,” the guard said, his tone lifeless. Kiyoomi quickly obliged, his heart hammering in his throat. He reminded himself that it’ll be okay, they’ll be okay, and if anything were to go wrong, they would be rescued. These risks were important not only for his own future but for the future of his people.

He stamped down his anxiety. It would have to wait for later.

The guard lazily scanned the papers before handing them back and nodding to the side. The message was conveyed in that silent gesture: _move_.

Exiting the carriage, Kiyoomi made quick time to retrieve his and Motoya’s luggage. It wasn’t long before his cousin returned to his side.

“That went well, huh?” he asked while taking his bags from him. “Didn’t even question it.”

“Can you please, for the love of all that’s sacred, _shut the fuck up_ ,” Kiyoomi grit out, his temper flaring in fear. “You’re acting suspiciously.”

Motoya waggled his eyebrows. “I’m too cute to be a criminal Kiyoomi, everyone knows that.”

Too tired from waking early in the morning and his cousin’s bullshit, he speed-walked away and started to go in the direction of…

…it was at that second, he realized he didn’t know where he was. At all. 

The entrance of the town was firmly shut behind them, walls of ancient Earth Kingdom architecture protecting the Fire Nation colony. A quick scan around the area told him that he was in a marketplace, stalls and vendors occupying any available space that didn’t disrupt traffic flow. There weren’t many carts to begin with, but the ones that did trot their way to their destination held an assortment of goods ranging from trinkets, food, and general amenities. Buildings that once proudly bore green banners and Earth Kingdom symbols were discretely defaced and replaced with propaganda and red flags.

He turned to see if the carriage was still behind him but was disappointed to find it a long way gone. Instead, he saw his cousin making his way toward him.

“We’re supposed to stay together, jerk face,” Motoya deadpanned, dramatically dropping his items to the ground. “Honestly, you drive me crazy sometimes.”

Kiyoomi resisted the urge to wring his neck right then and there, focusing on the uncleanliness of the prison system to dampen his urges. He looked around to find any familiar faces, to no avail.

“Rin said he might be able to introduce us to his boyfriend and his brother,” he continued nonchalantly, staring at his hands. “If we’re lucky, we could meet them now.”

Panic seized his heart. Motoya held his hand. Kiyoomi felt nothing but his blood pounding inside his veins and arteries, pumping so quickly he could hear nothing more than the rush of his own body fighting against his reality.

“No,” is all he said in response.

“’No’ what?” is what a stranger replied to him.

Turning around, Kiyoomi found himself face to face with his own nightmare in the flesh: the Miya twins.

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/curious_shipper) || [cc](https://t.co/jJ5BShvN5l?amp=1)
> 
> If yall expect a nice update schedule then you're a clown and I am the ringmaster lol. But anyways, thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are always welcome ♥♥♥ take care and don't forget to drink water. peace out-  
> 


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